Check for garage-door-closing means



" 1W5@,109 1927' M. KiRNEAUEFE 9 A CHECK FOR GARAGE DOOR CLOSING MEANS Filed Jan. 25. i926 2 sheecS-Sheet M r h 8 1927.

a c M. KIRNBAUER CHECK FOR GARAGE DOOR CLOSING MEANS Filed Jan. 25. 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 J i 6' l a ummm 8 am WW \9 2mg 7 men/Z 07 Patented Mar. 8, 19327.

unrrsn stares MICHAEL xrnnsaunnor ronns'r PARK, ILLINOIS;

CHECK FOB, GARAGE DOOR-CLOSING MEANS. I

Application filed January 25, 1926. Serial No. 83,519;

This invention relates to automatically closing doors for garages and the like, and has for its objects To providein connection with a self closing garage door of the present type, a speed retarding mechanism adapted to provide a regulating resistance during the main portion of the closing movement of the door, and which in the final movement of the door is released and returned to normal position,

permitting a free manualopening of the door and assuming a proper condition for a succeeding automatic closing movement of the door, all as will hereinafter more fully appear.

In the accompanying drawings Fig. 1 is an elevation of a garage door having the present invention applied, thedoor' being in its open position and latched therein. a f Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the door released and moving to-a closed condition, parts of the door being broken away to show the inclined operating rails onthe door. I

Fig. 3 is adetail transverse section of the door and door frame. 7 Fig. 4c is a vertical axial section of pneumatic retardingappliance.

' Fig. 5 is a horizontal section of the same, on line 5-5, Fig. 4.

the

in the several views.

In the drawings, the garage door 1 is shownas supported by and movable on an over head track 2 by the usual hangers 3 with: a'normal tendency to move to a closedcondition under the influence of a pull cable 41 and gravity weight 5.

In the present improvement a door of the described type has attached at its lower end a ratchet bar or rail 6 formed with a pair of ratchet teeth 6 and 6" near its forward end as shownin Figs. 1 and 2.

The door sill of the structure is formed with a receiving cavity adapted to receive an open topcasing 7 approximating double the length of the door 1, as shown. In the interior of the casing 7 and near an end of the same, a. rail 8 is pivoted at one end with the other end of said rail provided with a ratchet dog or detent 9 adapted for operative engagement with the ratchet teeth 6, 6" of the. door rail 6 aforesaid, to hold the door in the open position shown in 1.

The upper edge of the rail 8 is yieldingly held by a spring 8 a distance abovethe surface of the door sill, as shown: in Fig; 3, so

that the railwill be depressed by the wheels of the vehicle passing over it, to disengage the dog 9 from engagement with the ratchet teeth 6, 6 and permit a closing movement the vehicle passing over the raiL 8, acts to release the dog 9 from the ratchet tooth 6" permitting a: slight movement of the door, as indicated in dotted lines in'Fig; 1, with a re-engagement of-the dog 9 with the next ratchet tooth 6". The succeeding passage of a rearmost wheel of the vehicle over the rail 8 actuates the same to release the dog 9 from the ratchet tooth 6 and permit the door to move to its fully closed position. In such movement the point of the dog 9 ridesagainst the plane under surface of the door rail or bar 6. 1

With a: view to prevent undue speed in the closing movement of thedoor 1, a retarding means is provided and has: interconnection therewith through mechanisms and features as follows: 1

Upon the inner face of the} door 1, a pair of inclined track rails 10 and 11 are secured in vertically spaced relatiomwith the inc'li- 7 nation of one rail in a direction oppositeto Like reference numerals indicate like parts;

the inclination of'the other rail. In a horizontal direction the rails 10, 1-1 are also in spaced relation, in order that in a closing. movement of the door one rail will terminate its operative engagement with the retarding device before the other rail can have operative engagement with said; device, and in the preferred construction said-retarding device will have a structural formation and association of parts as follows. 7

A tubular casing 12 isfixedly secured in a vertical position. on a jamhof the doorway, with a vertical location intermediate of the inclined rails 10, 11 aforesaid.

The lower portion of the casing12is of a closed bottom form, toprovide a piston chamber 13 for the movement of the piston;

14 of the mechanism. The upper part of the casing 12 constitutes a receiving chamber 15 for the fluid medium of the mechanism in an upward movementof said fluid by the piston 14. Said upper and lower portions of the casing12 are separated by a partition 16 to form the chambers 13 and 15, with such partition having a reduced or choke passage 17 for the'fluid in its passage from one chamber to the other. The passage 17 will preferably be regulated by the usual adjustable needle valve 18 in general use in fluid retarding appliances, and in addition the partition 16 will have a central orifice for the passage of the rod or stem of the piston 14 aforesaid.

The piston rod or stem 19 just referred to, is of a tubular form and passes upwardly through the partition 16 and top wall of the casing 12 for attachment to the-hereinafter described operating means, and in the preferred construction the piston rod 19 will have adetail construction as follows Intermediate its length and adjacent to the partition 16, the piston rod 19 is formed With a reduced neck 20 in its perimeter, to provide between said neck and central orifice of the partition 16 a free annular space for the back-flow of the fluid medium into the piston chamber 13. as the piston 14-. reaches the lower end of the piston chamber.

Adjacent to the aforesaid reduced neck 20. the bore of the piston rod 19 is formed with a valve seat for a downwardly closing check Valve 21, preferably moving under the influence of a spring 22. Said valve 21 is adapted to move to an open condition, when in a descent of the piston 14 any fluid that may be beneath the piston can escape into the upper chamber 15 of the casing 12.

At its upper end of the piston rod 19 carries a lateral arm 23 adapted for operative engagement underneath the track rail 11 on the door 1. to receive a downward movement therefrom and impart such movement to the piston 14.

A vertical yoke member 24-, is also attached. to the upper end of the piston rod 19, and depends down the side of the casing- 12. and in guiding engagement therewith. Said yoke extends below the casing 12 and at its lower end is provided with a lateral arm 25 adapted for operative engagement with the upper face of the track rail 10 of the door 1, to re ceive upward movement therefrom and impart the same to the piston '14-.

In the construction shown, the lateral arm 25 of the yoke member 241 is of the pivotal or trip type, so that in an opening movement of the door 1, by manual force, the arm 25 may ride beneath'the inclined rail 10, and at the end of the opening movement of the door, move from beneath the rail 10 to an active position inline with the upper face of said rail for actual use in a succeeding automatic closing movement of the door.

Having thus fully described my invention what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In an automatic sliding door closing means of. the type described and in which automatic latching means is provided for holding the door in its open position in connection with means of the stored energy type tending to move the door to its closed position, the combination of a pair of inclined track rails secured in both vertical and horizontal spaced relation on the door, and a re tarding means carried on the door frame intern'iediate of said rails and having successive operating engagement therewith.

2. In an automatic sliding door closing means of the type described and in which automatic latching means is provided for holding the door in its open position in connection with means of the stored energy type tending to move the door to its closed position. the combination of a pair of inclined track rails secured in both vertical and horizontal spaced relation on the door, and a retarding means carried on the door frame intermediate of said rails and having successive operative engagement therewith, the retarding means comprising a closed casing divided by a horizontal partition into a lower piston chamber and an upper receiving chamber, a piston arranged in the lower chamber and having a piston rod extending up through the top of said casing, a lateral arm attached to the upper end of the piston rod and extending into the path of one of the inclined rails on the door and a depending yoke also attached to the top of the piston rod and carrying on its lower end a lateral arm extending into the path of the other inclined rail of the door.

3. In an automatic sliding door closing means of the type described and in which automatic latching means is provided for holding the door in its open position in connection with means of the stored energy type tending to move the door to its closed posi tion. the combination of a pair of inclined track-rails secured in both horizontal and vertical spaced relation on the door, and a retarding means carried on the door frame intermediate of said rails and having 'successive operating engagement therewith, the retarding means comprising a closed casing divi ded by a horizontal partition into a lower piston chamber and an upper receiving chamber, a piston arranged in the lower chamber and having a piston rod extending up through the top of said casing, a lateral arm attached to the upper end of the piston rod and extending into the path of one of the inclined rails on the door, and a depending yoke also attached to the upper end of the piston rod and carrying on its lower end a lateral arm extending into the path of the other inclined rail on the door.

42. In an automatic sliding door closing means'of the type described and in which automatic latching means is provided for holding the door in itsopen position in connection with means of the stored energy type tending to move the door to its closed position, the combination of a pair of track rails secured in both vertical and horizontal spaced relation on the door, and a retarding means carried on the door frame intermediate of said rails and having successiye operative engagementtherewtith, the retarding means comprising aclosed casing divided by a horizontal partition into a lower piston chamber and an upper receiving chamber, a piston arranged in the lower chamber and having a piston rod extending up through the top of said casingfa lateral arm attached to the upper end of thepiston rod andextending into the path of one of the inclined rails on the door,-and a depending yoke also attached to the top of the piston rod and carrying on its lower end a lateral arm of the trip type extending into the path of the other inclined rail on the door.

Signed at Chicago, Illinois, this 23rd day of January 1926.

MICHAEL KIRNBAUER. 7 

